Stapling-machine.



F. KOHNLE.

STAPLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. H, 1912. 1,H7,873. Patented July 27, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

F. KOHNLE.

I STAPLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11, 1912.

il igfi II- i t Jim lm human F. KOHNLE.

STAPLING MACHINE.

APPLJCATION FILED MAR-11. 1912.

Patented July 27, 1915.

amine/sow crcia FREDERICK KOHNLE, 0F DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGrN'lVIIElN'IS, TO THE MONARCH TAG COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

STAPLING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented duly at, 1915..

Application filed March 11, 1912. Serial No. 683,162.

The primary object of the invention is to produce a machine adapted toconform'to a new system of usage of price tags.

In previous systems and machines commercially in vogue, a complicated,expensive and elaborate machine was required, which, formed tags from acontinuous tape, printed them, severed the tape into tags, formed wirestaples, and inserted and clenched them through the tags and cloth.

This was expensive, liable to injure the goods, and involved a mechanismrapidly wearing out and requiring constant attention and skilledmanipulation.

In my new conception of tag system, I propose to manufacture gangs ofstapled tags as an article of manufacture, and to place in the hands ofusers, the simple machine herein disclosed, designed to operate upon thestaple supplies, which machine need only be equipped with devices tosever the gang into suitable tag units, to insert the staples throughthe goods and to bend the prongs of the staples into an adequatecondition of tag securance, without any danger of injuring the goods andwithout requiring the driving force or impact incident to the old stapleclenching mechanisms.

The tickets in passing through the machine are printed and severed fromthe strip, and attached upon the goods brought to the machine, but themachine is, however, provided with means for allowing printed tickets tobe issued with straight unclenched staples if desired.

The strip form of tickets, as illustrated, in the drawings, is presentedto the machine with the tickets in a partially severed condition at thestaple end of the ticket, offering an abutment between each ticket to beengaged by the feeding mechanism for consecutive step feeding of thetickets, an which partial severance is also beneficial in effecting acomplete severance, as no provision in the machine is required toprovide relief for the cutter mechanism from the prongs of the staple.

Another object of my invention relates to mechan sm for clenching aticketed staple, comprislng a main reciprocating member movable towardthe goods to be ticketed, and p voted fingers oppositely and angularlydisposed to engage between the prongs of the staple in a clenchingoperation and arranged so that the free ends of the fingers move from avertical to a horizontal position to impart a spreading action to theprongs of the staple to aline them with the bow of the staple. Thestaple clenching or bending elements moving in a direction toward whichit is desired to bend the prongs of a staple, prevents'any buckling ordis tortment of the prongs or upturning of the points of the prongs intothe fabric, which renders the removal of the tag diflicult, and alsoinsures satisfactory successive operations and vastly superior over thewell known methods commonly provided in clenching devices by forcing theprongs into grooves formed in a rigid clenching block.

Another object of my invention is to provide a staple guiding plungeryieldingly mounted and disposed relatively to clenchmg mechanism tooffer resistance thereto during a clenching operation and insuring thealinement of the prongs of a staple relatively to the clenchingmechanism.

Another object of the invention is to pro-' vide track facilities for.guiding the tag strip toward the clenching or severing devices, byfeeding the strip upon a table or plate along a raised guiding edge, andagainst which the strip is yieldingly urged.

Another object of my invention is to provide a printed ticket and stapleclenching machine, with clenching mechanism actuated by the mainactuating mechanism of the machine, with means adapted to be swung intoand out of the path of the main reciprocating member, to be engagedthereby, for operating the clenching mechanism in one instance and forthrowing the same out of commission in a second instance.

The features of the invention are more fully set forth in thedescription of the accompanying drawing, forming a part of thisapplication, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete upperpart of the machine with part of the base in section to show interiorparts.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation'of Fig. 1 from the left hand thereof. Fig. 3is a similar view to Fig. 2 from the opposite side of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 isa sectional plan view from below of the base of the machine. Fig. is asectional detail view of the clenching mecha nism. Fig. 6 is a plan viewthereof, and Fig. 7 a section on line 77 of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a detailplan view of the strip guiding means, and Figs. 9 and are respectively asection and plan view of a portion of'the ticket strip provided withstaples.

The machine illustrated in the drawings may be mounted on a pedestal(not shown) and operated as by a treadle connected to a rod 1 extendingupward through the hollow standard 2, and connected above to a hollowsleeve 3 which extends atits upper end from said standard and forms whatmay be termed the main slide of the machine, from which all the movingparts thereof are actuated.

The standard 2 carries near its upper end a table 4 for supporting .thestrip of tickets to be attached to the fabric, a space 5 being leftbetween the edge of the table and a face plate 6 on the standard to formachannel or guide into which the prongs of the staples extend. At aslightly higher level than the upper surface of the table 4 there isattachedto the standard a plate 7 having a projection or lip 8projecting slightly over the table at one side thereof to prevent risingof the strip on the table during feeding, thereof and at the oppositeside 'of the table there is pivoted a guide plate 9 under the action ofa spring 10 and aving inits inner edge a groove 11, adapted to engagethe edge of the strip, part of the plate 9 being'disposed'in a slotbelow the surface of the table in order to bring the groove 11 at'theproper level to receive the strip. The said plate being under pressureof spring 10 eflects an easy resilient grip on the edge .of the stripduring feed thereof .to keep the opposite edge in proper alinementagainst the face late 6an'd insure the rectilinear feed of t e strip.

The strip a is fed by means of a spring pressed finger 12 which engagesslits 1) formed in the edge of the strip, said finger being pivotallymounted on an arm 13 extending from a bell crank lever 14: pivoted at 15to the standard 2 and having a depression or recess 16 into whichengages a pin 17 one bar 18 guided as at 19 in the standard 2 andmounted at its upper end in a bracket 20 connected to the slide 3. t

It will be obvious that as the slide is depressed the finger 12 will bedrawn backward over the ticket and on continued downward movement of theslide disengagement of the pin 17 with the recess 16 takes place leavingthe finger 12 loose. On return movement of the slide the pin 17again'enga'ges the recess 16 and positively moves the finger forward tofeed the strip for the desired distance by saidfinger engaging a slit bin the edge of the strip. A spring 21 is provided for maintaining'aconstant tension on the feed finger. I

It will be observed that in a feeding movement of the finger .12, itsticket engaging end, due to the arc of movement of the lever 14:,causing the tension of the spring to be increased upon the finger 12-,

producing an accentuated downward ten-- sion thereby insuring theengagement of the finger with the strip, maintains a positive feed. Thispositive feed is essential, as all of the tickets are of a predetermined.length and each must be directly positioned beneath the type chase foraccurate printing. The ticket is then detached from the stri between thestaples c by means of a kni e 22 mounted on a block or frame 23 carriedby a part 23 of the bracket 20 extending transversely of the pathofmovement of the strip, this knife preferably having an inclinedcutting edge and being of the shape shown in Figs. 2 and 3. I mayconveniently mount the knife in a detachable manner by providing theframe 23 with two pins 24 adapted to enter holes in the knife and secureto the knife a strong leaf spring 24 adapted to be engaged and stronglygripped by a catch 25 pivoted to the bracket 20.

The staple clenching and holding devices will now be described. Theformer comprises a tubular member or sleeve 26 slidably mounted in ahollow extension 27 of the standard 2 but prevented from rotationtherein. The sleeve 26 incloses at its lower end a pin 28 having a head29 between which and the lower end of the sleeve is a spring 30 andabove the pin28 is another spring 31 which Supports the lower end ofablock 32,-having its upper surface provided with a recess 33 in whichare pivoted fingers 34, provided in their upper surfaces with shallowgrooves34. The block 32 is so shaped as to straddle the upper end of thesleeve 26 which is cut away at each side leaving a central part 35,having a curved upper edge 36. Below the lower end of the .sleeve ispivoted a double'armed lever 37,

one arm 38 of which normally extends be low the head 29 of the pin 28and the other arm 39 extends into thepath-cf the lower edge of the slide3 so that on depression of the slide the pin 28 and consequently thesleeve. 26 with the block 32 are lifted tothe under surface of a portionof the plate 7 7 previously mentioned, its movement will be arrested butfurther movement of the sleeve 26 is permitted owing to the presence ofthe 1,14as7s spring 31 and this continued movement of said sleeve causesthe curved edge 36 thereof to engage and force upward the lower edges ofthe fingers 34, whereupon the grooved under surfaces thereof engage theprongs of the staple and force same outward in the direction indicatedby the broken lines on the right hand side of Fig. 9 to clench thestaple and secure the ticket to the fabric. Y v

There is attached to the guide 6"a spring 6 the function of which is toengage the.

edge of and support the "last ticket of a strip and prevent samedropping off "the tableimmediately before the clenching operation.

Previous to and-during the actual clenchingoperation the staple prongsare held,

against lateral distortion by means of a plunger 40 having a curvedlower edge 41, adapted to abut against the backs of the prongsandmounted in a housing 41*carried by the plate 7 a spring 42 acting onsaid plunger in such a manner as to keep it normally extended below theplate 7 but, on operation of the clenching mechanism the said plungercan retire still supporting the staple prongs until theclenchingoperation is completed. When it is' desired to throw theclenching mechanism out of operation so that tickets with straightunclenched staples are delivered by the machine all that is necessary isto shift the arm 39 of lever 37 out of the path of movement of thesleeve 3 so that the lever remains unoperated on depression of saidsleeve, this being accomplished.

from the exterior'of the machine by means of a lever 43, connected to abifurcated bracket 44., in which said lever is pivotally mounted at 45.The movement of said lever in both directions is limited by means ofstops 46.

The printing devices are carried by the transverse part 23 of thebracket 20 and include a suitable type chase 50 detachably and slidablymounted in guides in the aforesaid frame 23 and above said chase aremounted spools 51 about which passes an inking ribbon 52 extending underthe type chase, and a tensioning roller 53 loosely mounted in slots in aspring pressed arm 54, which is shaped to form a shield or cover for thespools. One of the latter is driven by means of a ratchet wheel 55mounted thereon with which engages a pawl 56, piv

otally mounted on an upright 57 secured to the plate 7, sq that on eachupward movementof the sl de 3 theratchet wheel is rotated through thedistance of one tooth to bring a fresh part of the ribbon intouse, thepivotal mounting of the pawl permitting the same to trip past the teethof the ratchet on reverse movement of the slide.

I do not limit myself to the particular construction and arrangementof'parts described and illustrated since the same may be 'variedwithinlimits determined by the following claims without departing from thespirit of the invention. Supporting the type chase and knife upon therigid extension of the slide aifords rigidity to these elements,simplifies the construction, increases the life and efficiencythereofand prevents .mally disposed in a plane coincident with the plane of thestaple prongs, means arranged to engage therewith to swing the fingersto a prong bending position, and a guiding plunger arranged to normallyengage the prongsof a staple and to retire in accordance with theadvancing movement of the clenching mechanism.

2. In a machine of the class described, in combination with. stapleclenching mechanism, a stationary head plate against which the tag andthe bow of the staple engage, and 'a yieldingly mounted guide plungerhaving a projecting staple prong engaging end to hold the prongs againstlateral distortion, said plunger being arranged to retire with theadvancing movementof' the clenching:

mechanism in a direction away from the edge of the tag to. avoidengagement therewith.

3. Ina machine of the class described, staple clenching mechanism, astationary head plate beneath which the staple tags are fed andengagedduring' a clenching operation, and aguide plunger yieldinglymounted and projected below the plane of the head to engage the stapleprongs, said plunger being arranged to retire ,in a direction away fromthe edge of the tag with the advancing movement of the clenchingmechanism.

' 4. In a machine of the class described, having stapling mechanismcomprising a supporting frame, a sleeve slidably mounted therein, aclenching member slidably mounted within said sleeve and having abifurcated head with the bifurcation in salinementwith the feed of thestaple, a pair of oppositely disposed fingers pivotally mounted withinsaid bifurcation, cam projections upon said sleeve arranged to engagesaid fingers and move the same from a normal to a horizontal position,an actuating member for movingsaid sleeve and clenching memher, andtension means interposed between said sleeve and clenching memberwhereby the sleeve and clenching member move simultaneously during aclenching operation until the clenching member clamps the sta ple afterwhich the sleeve is moved independently to operate the fingers andeffect a staple clenching operation.

5. In a machine of the class described, clenching mechanism comprising aslidable sleeve, a head resiliently supported thereon, clenching fingersmounted on said head, said sleeve arranged to be moved relatively tosaid head to move the fingers to clenching position, actuating meansforsaid sleeve and head, and springs interposed between said sleeve andhead, and between said sleeve and said actuating means, whereby when thehead is moved to a stapling position of rest the sleeve can advanceindependently.

6. A machine of the class described, having staple clenching mechanismcomprising a stationary head plate and staple clenching memberssupportedbelow said head plate, a guiding edge for a strip of paperarranged to project from said head plate in line with the direction offeed of the strip, tensional means for directing the strip toward saidguiding edge, and means for holding a severed tag in engagement withsaid head late above the clenching mechanism.

7. Iii a machine of the class described, a stationary member beneathwhich the ticketed staples are fed, a member movable toward saidstationary member and comprising a tubular cam element, a head elementconcentric with said tubular element and having oppositely disposedstaple prong bending fingers arranged to be engaged by the cam of saidtubular element, an actuator element concentric with said tubularelement and located opposite said head element, a compression vspringbetween said tubular element and actuator element and a secondcompression spring between said head element and actuator element.

8. In a machine of the class described, a stationary member beneathwhich the staples are fed, staple prong bending mechanism movable towardsaid stationary member and comprising a head element arranged to engagesaid stationary member and hav? ing fingers movable to bend the stapleprongs parallel with the material to be stapled, a

tubular element coaxial with said head ele I ment, supportingthe same,and arranged to engage and move said fingers, and an actuator elementarranged coaxially with said tubular element and yieldingly engaged withsaid tubular element and head element.

9. A device of the nature disclosed comprisinga stationary member, amovable staple bending member arranged to engage with said stationarymember in a staple bending operation, a reciprocating member inparallelism with said staple bending member, and a lever member forconnecting said reciprocating and staple bending members and movable onits fulcrum to disconnect the same.

10. A device of the nature disclosed comprising two movable supportsmounted in parallelism, and a lever member connecting said members tomove one in a direction opposite to that in which the other member ismoved and having its fulcrum rotatable about an axis to disconnect thelever member from one of said movable members.

11. A device of the nature disclosed comprising staple bendingmechanism, a stationary member beneath which the ticketed staples arefed and against which the staple bending mechanism engages, a table inadvance of said stationary member having'a strip guiding shoulder, and ahingedly mounted yielding member operating to urge the strip againstsaid shoulder and provided with a longitudinal groove to receive thestrip.

12. A device of the nature disclosed comprising staple bendingmechanism, a stationary member beneath which the ticketed staples arefed and against which the staple bending mechanism engages, a tablearranged in advance of said stationary member and at a lower elevationand having a projecting shoulder parallel with the direction of feedofthe ticketed staples toward said stationary member, and a yieldingmember spaced from said shoulder to urge the ticketed staples towardsaid shoulder.

13. In a machine of the class described, a stationary head plate,staple-clenching mechanism supported below said head plate and movableinto engagement therewith, a table in advance of said head plate havingits table surface at a slightly lower elevation than said head plate andhaving a shoulder arranged to project therefrom parallel with thedirection of the feed of the ticketed staple to properly guide the samebeneath the head plate, means for maintaining said ticketed staples inengagement with said shoulder, means yieldingly urged toward said headplate to hold the ticketed staples against said head plate, and a guideplunger arranged to project below the plane of said head plate to engagethe staple prongs and to retire therefrom with the advancing movement ofthe clenching mechanism.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

FREDERICK KOHNLE.

Witnesses OLIVER B. KAISER, CLARENCE B. Fos'rns.

